Bike Reviews

The epic has everything we would expect on a premium race bike. Last year’s Editors’ Choice winner remains light, quick, and stiff, and it comes with high-quality parts. But what really sets it apart is the Brain—Specialized’s name for inertia valves in the fork and shock that keep the suspension rigid (read: fast) on smooth trails, then instantly open it up to absorb hits on rougher­ terrain. “The Epic is as fast as a hardtail,” said one tester. “But it also sucks up hard ruts and other obstacles without robbing you of momentum or tossing you off your line.” The latest version of the suspension transitions nearly seamlessly­ from locked out to wide open—you never have to flip a lever or turn a dial—which lets you get back to speed quickly after exiting a corner. Over the length of a race, those fractions of seconds can add up to the difference between first and second place, and that’s the reason we again chose the Epic as our top XC race bike.